The Dome Trail Is One Of The Toughest Hikes In Northern California And It’s Worth Every Single Step
In the past, we’ve covered numerous short and easy hiking trails that make NorCal’s great outdoors accessible to even the most casual of hikers. Today, we will NOT be covering one of those. Instead, we’re shifting focus to a trail that’s widely regarded as one of the most challenging in Butte County. However, if you have what it takes to traverse the epic trail, then you can bet you’ll be well rewarded with outstanding views of the lush and beautiful scenery. This is definitely one for the bucket list, so read on to see what waits for you on the famous Dome Trail.
Considered "the toughest hike" in Butte County, the Dome Trail is not for the faint of heart. With about 1,600-feet in elevation gain, it's the type of hike that makes you work for the spectacular views you'll witness.
Towering over Butte County are a plethora of gigantic granite formations. It's one thing to see them from afar, but something else entirely to see their otherworldly beauty up close. That's exactly what the Dome Trail has to offer.
One of the most identifiable landmarks in the area is Bald Rock Dome—a massive granite dome that dominates the surrounding landscape. The Dome Trail makes a steep descent in a mere distance of two miles to bring you right underneath the dome.
The trailhead can be found above Bald Rock Canyon, where you'll also catch a glimpse of Bald Rock Dome in the distance. After departing on the trail, you'll quickly become surrounded by impressive scenery including wildflowers, canyon walls, and little groves of trees.
Some sections of the trail are pretty hardcore, requiring hikers to squeeze through a narrow rock crevice and even make a sharp descent down a wooden staircase to the bottom of the canyon.
The last section of the trail takes you right down to the Middle Fork of the Feather River. During the warmer months, hikers can seek out one of the many swimming holes in the area for a quick dip before making the strenuous hike back up the canyon.
All in all, the trail that takes you into Bald Rock Canyon and shows off epic views of Bald Rock Dome is just 4-miles round trip. Although the steep section certainly pose a challenge even for confident hikers, the incredible scenery you'll witness makes it worth every single step.
